Bali has issued a major new warning to tourists amid a crackdown on overcrowding and rowdy behaviour.
The popular island is trying to improve the conduct of its visitors by getting them to take local laws and cultural norms more seriously.
Police Ch Insp Gen Daniel Adityajaya has issued a plea mere days after officials announced that six foreigners would be deported after breaking the conditions of their visas.
Gen Adityajaya sent the update to consulate generals of 40 countries in the Indonesian province, making tourists aware that they are not above the law.
He said: “Of course, in accordance with the law in Indonesia. If you commit a violation of the law later, it will be processed by law as usual.”
The police chief also called for continued cooperation between law enforcement, consulate generals and embassies, as they typically get involved if a foreigner is arrested.
He said: “For that, we need to keep communicating with foreign countries. There are agreements that allow for the handling of a case.”
This comes as an increasing number of visitors get in trouble with the law in Bali. In 2023, 83 foreigners were prosecuted and in 2024, this jumped to 108, according to local news outlet detikBali.
Tourists are also getting into more and more traffic incidents, the number of which grew from 71 in 2023 to 91 in 2024.
Gen Adityajaya added: “The current tendency is to increase [public security and order efforts for] both traffic violations and criminal acts that not only involve foreigners as victims but also foreigners as perpetrators.”
Bali adopted a zero-tolerance policy for tourists breaking the law since the end of the pandemic, including those violating immigration rules.
Despite the latest police warning, the head of the Bali Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, maintained that tourists are still welcome.
He also stressed the importance of visitors adhering to local culture and traditions, and dressing modestly, particularly when visiting holy places.
For anyone unsure of the proper conduct, the island has a handy list of 12 dos and eight don’ts that all tourists should follow, created by Governor I Wayan Koster to ensure harmony between locals and foreigners.
